Joined Hearts And Dominant Hungers
by Unsaid Goodbyes
Summary: In an alternate universe, where fictional characters are the living, and the breathing humans are merely figments of dreams, there’s a world where the impossible is reality. Isabella has been bound to her mate, in an unchangeable way. ExB. OOC. AU/AH.
1. Prologue: Mates

A/N: I've been absent from the writing scene for awhile, but I'm back. This is the newest story I'm starting and I hope you all like it. It's completely different from anything else I've written before. If you guys do like this, review, because I need to know. Anyhow, onto the prologue...

Summary: In an alternate universe, where fictional characters are the living, and the breathing humans are merely figments of dreams, there's a world where the impossible is reality. Isabella has been bound to her mate, in a way irrevocable to any animate creature. Life is about to get interesting… OOC, AH/AU. ExB.

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**Title: **Joined Hearts And Dominant Hungers

**Rating: **M

**Authors: **Breathless Tomb

Prologue

**3****rd**** Person's POV**

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In an alternate universe, where fictional characters are the living, and the breathing humans are merely figments of dreams, there's a world where the impossible is reality. Far beyond the dimensions and the demolished fragments of what we used to believe in, there are _realms_. These realms are split up; no two realms intermingling. They remain a mystery to one another, so that the balance of the universe stays a delicate peace.

In one realm, there lies a planet, a twin to Earth. A realm of absolute and total love, where soulmates aren't as far away as everyone had always imagined. Here, on this planet, _mates_ exist. The exact half—or _soulmate_—of another individual. Although the idea of soulmates has always been a common philosophy that which exists around the realms, _here_, the idea exists as a _law_.

A law, to which you are literally _bound_ to your soulmate. There is no other way. There is no loophole, no escaping the inexplicable bond. A love so potent, so strong and addictive, that not a single person—man nor woman—would ever have the strength to tear it apart. The purest, sincerest form of love. A tie that which twists around the two halves of a whole, intertwining their lives for all of eternity, to be born and reborn again, as different people, yet the same person.

This love cannot be denied, nor can it be ignored. There is no pushing this love to the side. It hits you, like a wrecking ball or a freight train. Drawn together like magnets, feeling utter disgust for any other romance with anyone else. There is no refuting this. There is only acceptance. The pain of rejecting it is far too great to chance upon. Too crushing to bear a minute under.

These mates—forever destined to be with one other—have no choice in the decision of their other halves. They have no image in mind once they're born, no idea whom it might be. But, their instincts prevail. The adoration is impossible to recoil from, and impossible to not requite. There is simply no other way. The awareness is your undoing.

All this being said, this bond remained dormant. Dormant until first sight. Until that fateful moment, freely are the humans able to pursue a short-term romance with another. There are no restrictions, no limitations to this. Most refuse to do so, thinking of themselves as betraying their some-day mates. Some do choose to satisfy their sexual cravings, longing for some sort of romantic connection to anyone, including those who seemed to have mates of their own. Of course, none of them ever reciprocated in the attraction, having full love for their mates.

Though, in every unmated sentient being, there remains a small tug at their hearts; a sign of longing for their mates. It is only natural, a simple thing taught to children as they advance in their everyday lives. It is not something to fear, nor to worry about. A mate is a mate. A life without one is nothing more than a cold cup of tea, sitting on the table ignored by everyone, until finally it is tossed away.

But sometimes, a mate can change your entire life, and flip your world on its axis. Sometimes, reality can hit you with a _bang_, reminding you of every fictional story you've ever read. Because, the mates never really did made sense.

Who would ever believe of such stories of joined hearts and dominant hungers?

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A/N: I've decided that all my prologues are going to be extremely short. Not _first chapters_, but prologues. This is just a general outlook into the world of what I'm trying to create, and I hope this makes sense to everyone who reads this. I'm actually really excited about this story. The ideas have been flowing through my mind for days now. Just like most of my other stories, this won't be filled with too much drama. I'm not a fan of drama. Never have been. In reality, this is sort of like a sister story to **Change Of Heart**. It's still about mates, but this is _very_ different, and a lot more smut-filled. Hope you enjoy the upcoming chapters!

--Breathless Tomb--


	2. Chapter 1: Learning

A/N: This is...still not the first chapter of the story, even though it is. The prologue in this story was an...introduction of sorts, so this could be considered the prologue. It's cheesy and adorable—to me—so I hope you're not too disappointed that the story hasn't started yet. It will soon. But for now, read on...

Summary: In an alternate universe, where fictional characters are the living, and the breathing humans are merely figments of dreams, there's a world where the impossible is reality. Isabella has been bound to her mate, in a way irrevocable to any animate creature. Life is about to get interesting… OOC, AH/AU. ExB.

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**Title: **Joined Hearts And Dominant Hungers

**Rating: **M

**Authors: **Breathless Tomb

Chapter 1

**3****rd**** Person's POV**

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**12 Years Ago-Bella Swan**

She'd always been a curious child. Everything was a mystery to her, and if something didn't make perfect sense, it was a quest waiting to be embarked on. Bella Swan had been born into a rather small family, with only her mated parents as her companions. From an early age Bella had been forced into countless Daycares and summer camps, for no apparent reason.

At first, Bella never questioned this. She simply had _too_ much fun at camp and Daycare. There was no reason to care—all that mattered was having fun. But...slowly...in its own drawn out way, she began to wonder. Why were her parents always so quick to throw her into activities that would occupy her for hours on end? Did they not love her enough to want to spend time with her? Did they simply have not enough time on their hands? Bella wouldn't know.

So of course, her quest began.

She never viewed it as a _quest_ per se. Just a means of finding out the facts and answers to her many questions. A quest would involve many adventures and tragedies and happy endings. A fairy tale. But Bella wanted to know _why_. The never ending question.

She approached her mother that day, who'd taken off work to spend a rare day off with her daughter. Bella blinked her big brown eyes and walked shyly up to the young woman who sat in the rocking chair, watching television—as her mother was still relatively young.

"Mommy?" She asked quietly, "Do you love me?" Her mother looked up in surprise, bemusement clear in my eyes. She beckoned Bella forward and sat her on her lap.

"Of course I love you sweetie," She chuckled, "Me and Daddy love you more than anything else in the entire world. Why would you ever have to ask that?" Bella fiddled with her fingers.

"Well," She mumbled, "I was just wondering why I always gots to go to camp and Daycare and stuff. I never get to spend the days with you and Daddy." Her voice was so dainty and innocent, entirely _too_ beautiful for a single person to possess. But she exuded purity in its most natural form.

Her mother laughed at this, throwing her head back. "Oh Bella," She said with a warm smile, "...Have you ever felt...like you were missing something?" Bella thought for a moment, before nodding furiously.

"Yes," She said eagerly, "Right here." Bella pointed to where her heart rested, buried deep within her body. Her mother cupped her cheek, staring into Bella's eyes with heartbreaking kindness.

"Someday," She whispered, suddenly calm and intense, "You'll feel something _powerful_ there. As if someone was dragging you to them. You'll see their face and you'll immediately love them more than you could love anyone else!"

"Really?" Bella's eyes went wide, "More than even you or Daddy?" She seemed disbelieving, as if it were physically impossible.

"Yes. More than anyone. He or she—whoever they are—will also love you too! And you'll have a happy life with him or her, and you'll never feel like you're missing something again."

Bella was almost bouncing in her mother's lap, excitement rolling off her in waves, "When do I meet this person?" She squeaked. Her mother chuckled again and shrugged.

"We don't know. But that's why we put you in Daycare, so that you might meet...your mate."

"My mate?"

"That's right Bella. Your mate. Never forget this. Ever. Because, without your mate, your life will be meaningless, and you'll never find true happiness."

***

**12 Years Ago-Edward Cullen**

Unlike the other happy-go-lucky children, Edward Cullen didn't feel the need to smile every second of the day. While they occupied themselves with toys and games, he sat alone, the emptiness inside of him not allowing him to see the joy in everyday little things. The isolation was enough to keep the frown permanently etched on his face.

His life was fine—in fact, one could be as bold as to say he had a spectacular life. He was the youngest son of Carlisle and Esme Cullen, with two older siblings, Emmett and Alice, respectively. His family was by far well off, and he was spoiled beyond one's capable imagination. His very existence was enough of a reason to lavish him in toys and riches. There was no reason to _not_ shower him with everything his little heart desired.

But Edward didn't care very much for mere _things_. They were only inanimate possessions, replaceable things that he could do without. Edward didn't want things. He wanted...something else. Something very different.

Little five-year old Edward was all too aware of the concept of mates. His parents had told him over and over again that one day he'd see _her_—or him, but Edward desperately did want someone soft and delicate that he could hold—and he'd feel more happy than he ever had before. His parents...so happy with each other, held mates to high standards. They glorified it—although there wasn't much to glorify—and Edward held it like a dream in his imagination.

Edward wanted his _mate_. Everything else he could do without. All he wanted was someone he could love indefinitely and hold and hug. Someone who could be both his soulmate—his only love—and his best friend. And because of this intense desire that he harboured, nothing else seemed quite adequate.

On that particular day, Edward sat in the very corner of the city park, a book in his hand. He was quite intelligent for his age, though he still required to read books with pictures in them, simply because he claimed that he only used his imagination to dream of his to-be mate. The pictures would suffice.

"What's up?" asked his big brother Emmett, coming to take a seat next to the much tinier child. Edward barely glanced up, before flipping the page.

"Reading," Edward muttered, half to Emmett and half to himself. Emmett nodded thoughtfully.

"You sure you don't want to come play?" Emmett asked, a little bit of hope in his tone. Edward hesitated—hating to let his brother down—but shook his head.

"No thank you," He said quietly. Emmett stood back up.

"You should do something else than read once in awhile," Emmett said gloomily, "It might cheer you up. You never know." And without another word, Emmett bounded off in search of Alice and her mate Jasper. Edward looked up, his eyes following Emmett's retreating figure.

"I will only be happy..." Edward murmured, "...When I meet my mate. Then I'll play with her every day, and I'll never need to be sad again." A small, dark grin spread out across his face, "I'll love her so much. More than even my own life.

"More than anything."

--

A/N: I decided that I wanted to get a glimpse into Edward and Bella's lives and explore their personalities a little more. My Edward is going to be slightly more domineering in this story, but like Cedric in **His Porcelain**, he'll also be very...reverent? Is that the word? Whatever. I hope you liked this so far. I promise you the next chapter will be extremely long.

--Breathless Tomb--


	3. Chapter 2: Cafeteria

A/N: Hey there kids. This is where the chemistry begins. It's been two chapters, but this is where Edward and Bella finally meet. While the lemons won't start for at least another chapter—this is my first story that seems to rely solely on lemons—this chapter is going to get slightly heated. Onto the chapter...

Summary: In an alternate universe, where fictional characters are the living, and the breathing humans are merely figments of dreams, there's a world where the impossible is reality. Isabella has been bound to her mate, in a way irrevocable to any animate creature. Life is about to get interesting… OOC, AH/AU. ExB.

--

**Title: **Joined Hearts And Dominant Hungers

**Rating: **M

**Author: **Breathless Tomb

Chapter 2

**3****rd**** Person's POV**

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**12 Years Later-Bella Swan**

Bella was roused from her sleep by two gentle hands. Groggily, her eyelids slid open to see two swirling peridot eyes gleaming down at her. Bella yawned and smiled upwards. The early morning sky outside her bedroom window was bright blue, but tinted over with shades of oranges and yellows. The sparrows sang in the distance, their voices lulling and sweet.

"Morning Bella," Her mother whispered, "Time for your first day of school."

It was a nice warm day in Montreal. The air was mild, as it was still mid-summer, with autumn fast approaching. Bella had slept since five o'clock of the previous day, ever since she'd set foot off the plane. It hadn't been too long a flight from Forks, but it was enough for Bella to lose conscious the moment she got into her father's new car. He'd been transferred to Québec, and Bella couldn't say she really minded.

Despite her first interpretations of the French Canadian province, she couldn't deny how much friendlier the atmosphere was. There was still _civilization_ here—since she'd expected igloos and frigid temperatures. Montreal was _huge_, and as busy as the crowded streets of New York City—perhaps only slightly less. She was beginning to think that moving here wasn't such a bad thing after all.

"G'morning mom," She mumbled into her pillow, her eyes only cracked slightly open, "I'll be up in a second." With a wink and a nod, Renée—Bella's mother—slipped from the room, as soundless as a ghost. A few short seconds passed before Bella arched her back, pushing herself up. Her joints cracked and popped, slipping into place.

She looked out the window, watching the darkness fade and the sun come out, bright and high up in the sky. Rolling over onto her butt, Bella threw off the covers and lightly touched her feet to the floor. She winced—the floorboards were ice cold. Her ears perked up when she began to hear a slow jazz song playing. It was soothing enough to wipe away the remaining lingering thoughts of sleep from her brain.

She tiptoed across the floor until she reached the door. Bella gripped the door handle and twisted it, tugging the door open. The music elevated the closer Bella got to the kitchen, and then...it was all around her, embracing her in its sweet caress. Her father sat there at the table sipping a mug of tea as Renée flitted around, preparing Bella's breakfast.

"Hey dad," Bella said with a joyful smile on her face, sitting down at her place. Charlie—her father—returned the smile with one of his own, his thick moustache barely concealing it. Just as she took a seat, Renée put a plate of sausages and homemade waffles in front of her, with slices of a pear carefully arranged at the side.

"Mornin' Bells," He said in his normally gruff voice, "Sleep well?" Bella started digging into her food, cutting up her sausages into little bits, popping them into her mouth.

"Mhm," Bella said through a mouthful of food, "Real good."

And that was it for the morning chitchat. No one felt compared to fill the comfortable silence with words. It was a beautiful September day, and they were all more relaxed than they ever had before. They all had something here to enjoy. Bella and Renée could both see their beloved sun bright and clear, and Charlie loved the clouds that greatly covered the sky. The best of both worlds.

Bella was given a lift to school that day, as she'd yet to purchase a car. She rested her head against the window, taking a few more golden moments to relax. It was glorious. This place was picturesque—busy without being overcrowded. With Charlie's window rolled down, she caught bits and pieces of conversations.

"What time are you going to be home by—?"

"C'est un peu petit, est-ce que tu peux—"

"Les oiseaux chantent vraiment clairment aujourds'hui—"

"You're kidding? Well maybe—"

While she relatively failed at understanding a word of French, she couldn't help but appreciate it. It rolled off their tongues like it was _made_ to be spoken aloud. It sounded like sweet honey was being poured over each word. Her mouth twitched with anticipation.

When the car came to an abrupt halt, Bella looked out the window. There it stood—her new school. Beurling Academy, smack in the middle of Verdun. Floods of students poured into the building. From what she could see so far, the school was set up like an anchor, and the front entrance was a perfect flipped 'C' form. After giving Charlie a kiss on the cheek, Bella stepped from the car, slamming the door behind her. She followed a group of students into the school, heading straight for the main office which was right beside the stairs.

She was glad to see that not a single person stared at her. Some of them glanced at her curiously, but shrugged it off. This school was big enough for them to think they'd simply never met her before. A kind woman at the front desk with chocolate skin explain the whole layout of the school to her, handing her a copy of her class schedule and two locks—one for her main locker and one for her gym locker. Strangely enough, it seemed like the woman had a secretive smile. Bella gave her a quick _thank you_ before running off to her locker.

She spun the dial and opened the door, stuffing her things quickly inside. Her backpack was filled to the brim with school supplies, so she dumped all those into the highest shelf of her locker. As she shut her locked door, with only a few books and her schedule in hand, Bella felt a tap on her shoulder. She whirled around, clutching her books to her chest.

A tall blue eyed girl stood there with a shy smile on her face. She had light brown hair which fell to her shoulders, straight but with slight volume. Her pastel blue eyes were innocent and trusting, so sweet that Bella had to smile.

"Hello there," said the girl in an entirely too introverted voice, "You must be the new girl. My name is Angela Weber. Nice to meet you."

"My name is Bella," Bella said with a grin, "It's a pleasure to meet you too."

"Do you need some help getting to your first class?" Angela asked. Bella nodded bashfully.

"If you don't mind."

Bella handed Angela her schedule, waiting anxiously as Angela scanned all her classes. Slowly, Angela's soft smile grew into a large grin. She looked up into Bella's waiting eyes.

"It looks like we're in the same classes," She said brightly, "You can just come with me." Suddenly she stiffened and sniffed the air. Bella watched in confusion as Angela leaned forward, inhaling Bella's scent. Bella flinched slightly from instincts.

"What's wrong?" Bella asked.

"You smell...familiar. Very familiar, but I can't picture a name or face." Angela pulled lightly on your lower lip, "Your scent. It's exactly the same as your mate's."

There was shock, before Bella's heart started beating twice as fast and her cheeks burned bright red. The blood pounded in her ears and a spark of sheer happiness shot through her like a bolt of lightning. Bella clutched her books even tighter, looking up at Angela in excitement.

"My mate?" She squeaked, "My mate goes to school here?"

"Yeah." Angela nodded with the same frustrated expression on her face, "But I still can't think of whom! I'm so sorry; you see, I'm not all that sociable." She smiled apologetically, but Bella waved it off.

"Do you know what he looks like?" Bella whispered, "Or she?" Angela shook her head in dismay.

"I know it's a guy, but I'm drawing a blank at who it could be."

Bella sighed, "Oh well. I'll meet him soon enough." Her smile was one of pure bliss, "I can't wait. I hope he's nice."Angela smile and started walking, beckoning Bella to follow her. Angela led her up a flight of stairs to their homeroom class. As soon as they stepped into the class, a short auburn-haired woman walked up to Bella with a delightful smile on her face.

"Hi," She said in her calm, dulcet voice, "You must be Isabella Swan. I'm Miss Anne-Marie." Miss Anne-Marie held out her hand and Bella shook it.

"Nice to meet you," Bella said with a timid smile. The rest of the morning passed rather uneventfully, and while Bella was ever alert for some sight of her mate, nothing happened. Those who said they _did_ know who her mate was, merely gave her secretive smiles, refusing to tell her. Bella became more and more perturbed, impatient to know the name and face of her mate.

"Wait until lunch," They all said. And she did. Bella waited in extreme eagerness, shifting ever so nervously during her last class, biting her lip and staring at the clock. As soon as the bell rang, Bella hurried to her locker in a haste, throwing her stuff in quickly and slamming it shut. Angela calmly put her stuff away, even as Bella bounced on her toes beside her.

"Where is the cafeteria anyway?" Bella asked, suddenly curious. Angela shut her locker.

"It's this way. Follow me." Angela looped her arm through Bella's and started pulling her down the hall. Pushing through two double doors, they walked into the open cafeteria. Bella scanned the rows, but nothing came to her. Her heart sank to the very bottom of her stomach.

"I guess he really isn't here," Bella whispered, "But I don't get it. They all said that he would..."

Angela looked perplexed, "Who?"

"My mate, remember?"

"Oh yeah. Wait, Bella—" She was suddenly cut off. A very masculine arm wrapped around Bella's waist, pulling her into his chest. His lips brushed along her exposed neck, nipping slightly.

"Hello there, my love," a smooth, velvety voice whispered in her ear, "It's nice to finally meet you." Bella looked up in shocked anxiety and gasped at the sight.

_He_ stood there. There was no doubt in her mind that this was her mate. His dark emerald eyes stared down on her with the most intense desire she'd ever seen. He was gorgeous, with the most beautiful smile. His arm tightened around her, so that every inch of him was pressed into her. He smirked down on her, his bronze hair wild and untamed.

"I'm Edward," He spoke again, through a voice so silky that it didn't sound altogether human, "You must be Bella."

Bella nodded slowly, and she began to feel it now. The hole inside her chest...was beginning to fill up. Her heart raced, reacting instinctively to this gorgeous man. The emptiness...was slowly...disappearing. _Love_ swirled around in her chest; but not just any love, the most intense, psychedelic love she'd ever felt. She was high with it, looking at him through wide eyes.

_Her mate..._

"You're my mate..." Bella whispered in complete astonishment. Edward chuckled, leaning forward to nip slightly at her earlobe. She whimpered

"That...I am, angel," He cooed, "Why don't you come sit with me? We have a lot of catching up to do." Bella subconsciously nodded, before reality returned to her and she looked at Angela in worry. But Angela was gone, sitting at a far away table with a bunch of other unnamed people. She caught Bella's eye and winked.

"She left to give us some privacy," Edward said with a crooked grin, "Now, are you going to come?" He pouted a little, his innocent puppy-dog eyes dazzling her into submission. Bella gaped at him and then smiled.

"Okay," She whispered quietly. Edward smiled a full-blown grin and twirled her around, leading her to a table with four other people at it. They were all as gorgeous as he was, but in different ways. There were two blondes—a boy and a girl—who were clearly twins. Beside the blonde boy was a pixie-like girl with short black hair that flipped out at the very ends. A hulking burly guy sat with his hand weaved around the beautiful blonde girl.

And they all stared at her with the same thrilled smile.

When they arrived, Edward pulled out a chair and sat down, dragging Bella onto his lap. She gasped at the sudden contact and his arms wrapped around her, pulling her close to him. Bella's cheeks burned in a mix of embarrassment and pleasure, though the desire ruled her.

"Finally," said the burly man with a giant grin, "It only _took_ you seventeen years!" He looked at Bella and winked, "I'm Emmett by the way, and this is my mate Rosalie." He gestured to the lovely blonde girl at his side. She smiled at Bella.

"It's nice to finally meet you," She chuckled in her melodic voice, "I hope Edward doesn't _severely_ disappoint you." She smirked teasingly at Edward who growled low in his chest, the vibrations rumbling against Bella's back. She shivered.

"Shut it Rose," He said in a sharp voice, glaring at her. He rested his chin on Bella's shoulder, nuzzling her neck. The little pixie noticed Bella's flushed face and smiled apologetically.

"We're sorry for Edward's...affectionate persona," She said, "He's absolutely _bursting_ with pent up hormones. It's not his fault."

"That's Alice and her mate Jasper," Edward introduced. They both smiled at me, and Bella noticed how similar their smiles were. They were similar in a way that it seemed...planned. Rehearsed. It was sweet and timelessly adorable.

"My name is Bella," She said softly, "It's wonderful to meet you all."

The rest of lunch passed rather uneventfully, with Alice and Rosalie constantly making small talk—interrogating Bella about her life. Edward remained relatively quiet, with his arms wound tightly around Bella. But she could sense that he was thinking something else. Something entirely different. His thumb made little circles on the exposed skin of her stomach, where her shirt had lifted slightly. It seemed to appease him for now, as she felt all his muscles bunched together and tensed.

They asked her about Forks, her friends before. Carefully, they inquired her on any love life she might've possessed before she came to Montreal. During this time, Edward's thumb stilled in his ministrations, his whole body coiled and rigid. He relaxed at the small shake of her head, relief filling him. He continued the soft motions of his thumb, lulling Bella into a comfortable semi-awake state.

_What an Achilles' heel..._

Bella hardly noticed how hungry she was until her stomach grumbled noisily. She jumped slightly at the noise then blushed at the amused stares from everyone at the table. She made a move to get up, but Edward kept a firm grip on her, looking for all the world like a petulant child, not wanting to let go of the cookie he'd been caught sneaking.

"I have to go get something to eat Edward," She laughed, "You're going to have to let go of me." He faked a yawn, smirking up at her.

"Muscle cramp," He lied blatantly, "It'll hurt to let go." He pouted, jutting out his lower lip. Bella giggled, noticing the strange accent in his voice. Like the French she'd heard spoken earlier, there was a slight glaze over everyone's words, making their already beautiful voices even more attractive. Edward's hips gyrated, spinning her back to reality. She let out a surprised squeak, looking at him with a bright blush staining her cheeks. He merely grinned crookedly.

"Never mind him Bella," Rosalie said with an eye roll, "Here. Eat this." She threw Bella a granola bar, which Bella would've missed, had Edward not caught it nimbly on the tips of his fingers. He passed it to her and Bella neatly tore through the silver and mauve wrapper. Pulling the foil back, she took a small bite into the bar. It was sticky and crunchy, with hints of chocolate and caramel. Bella smiled goofily and took another bite, a little self-conscious with everyone watching her.

"Do I have something on my face?" She asked through a mouthful of granola. They all laughed and shook their heads. Edward chuckled low in her ear, nuzzling her neck.

"You're just too adorable," He said with a smile in his voice, "You entrance us. Especially me." He added the last part on as a mere whisper, meant for only Bella. Alice suddenly jerked up from her seat, her movements lithe and fluid.

"It's time," She spoke with confidence, "Class will start in exactly five minutes. We should be going." They all stood up—even Edward, who lifted Bella up with him, her feet never touching the floor. Lightly, he placed her on the floor, with as much force as if he were handling a china doll. Wrapping an arm around her waist, Edward led them out of the cafeteria, passing the overview of the pool and the library.

"Edward," Bella spoke as he led them in the exact direction of her locker, "How do you know where my locker is?" He chuckled, amused by something.

"My locker is in the same area," He said with his sinful grin, "They knew you were my mate the moment you signed in. It was already planned out. Angela, you, and I are locker buddies." He winked, the green of his eyes glistening in delight. Bella looked at him strangely for a minute before she erupted in pealing giggles.

She knew that woman's smile had been mischievous.

--

A/N: There. That took me...time, but I managed to finish it. I like to experiment with locations by the way. Forks isn't the most interesting of location choices. And I've seen all too many stories taking place in the US. Canada should be mentioned for once. So, I volunteer to start. Review!

--Breathless Tomb--


	4. Chapter 3: Connection

A/N: There will be a little bit of intimacy in this chapter—but only slightly. The full blown lemons won't start until maybe next chapter. I'm still a little new to this, so please be kind to me. I mean, it's hard enough for me to _write_ this. Reading reviews is even harder. Thank you again. And, onto the story...

Summary: In an alternate universe, where fictional characters are the living, and the breathing humans are merely figments of dreams, there's a world where the impossible is reality. Isabella has been bound to her mate, in a way irrevocable to any animate creature. Life is about to get interesting… OOC, AH/AU. ExB.

--

**Title: **Joined Hearts And Dominant Hungers

**Rating: **M

**Author: **Breathless Tomb

Chapter 3

**3****rd**** Person's POV**

--

Bella blushed as Edward watched her intently, her clumsy fingers nearly missing the right numbers on her combination lock. He'd already quickly collected his books—before Bella had even had enough time to _open_ her locker—and was now spending the remaining time watching her with intensely focussed eyes. It unnerved her, and caused her already awkward behaviour to become even more jumbled and unorganized.

"You sure _are_ something else, aren't you?" He said with a smirk. With fumbling hands, Bella finally managed to open her locker, her raging blush darkening to almost burgundy. She took a deep breath, slowly grabbing her books from the very top of her locker. Standing on her tiptoes, she barely reached the top cubby of her locker. About to step into the locker itself and hook her arm over, she was surprised when Edward's arm weaved around her waist, picking her up.

"You could've warned me," She squeaked, but he only responded with a rumbling chuckle. She could barely think with her body pressed so close to his muscled chest, but Bella managed to grab her books. Without letting her go, Edward shut her locker door with his foot. Bella reached down to slide the lock into place. She waited a moment, but Edward didn't let her go.

"Uhh...Edward?" She said, biting her lower lip, "Can I...get down?" His chest rumbled again with his laughter, the vibrations rolling through Bella's back. She shivered, but again, he didn't let go.

"Hmm..." He hummed, then softly crooned in her ear, "I don't know. I kind of like this, with your cute little body pressed up against me." His nose skimmed up the expanse of her pale neck. "You're coming to my house tonight, right sweetheart?" Bella trembled, then frowned.

"I don't know," She mumbled, "I mean, my mom and dad are going to flip that I found my mate. They'll love you. Even if you were the scummiest piece of crap on the planet, they'd still adore you. But I don't know if they'd let me go to your house so soon. Maybe in a few days, but not now..." The disappointment was thick in her voice.

Edward was quiet for a moment, pondering something. He let her down—and Bella had to admit, she didn't like being let go of by him—, but he kept his free arm wrapped tightly around her waist. Wordlessly, he kissed up her neck, taking the same root that his nose had done a few moments ago. At one particular point, he bit down lightly right under her jaw, sucking the skin. Bella moaned, flushing.

"That little noise..." He murmured in her ear, "...When you and I are alone—in my room preferably—, I'm going to be having you make those noises tenfold. I can't wait until I can claim _this_." He trailed his hand down to cup her sex, rubbing back and forth. Bella whimpered again, colourful dots appearing in her vision.

"Soon, my love," He chuckled, "You're already _so_ wet. I can feel your heat through your jeans. But...I guess for now...it's time for you to get to your next class." He removed his hand and unwound it from around her body. Then, Edward chuckled and spun her around, lowering his head to brush their lips together. Bella moved forward to push her lips closer to his, but he merely chuckled and pulled back.

"Give me your lips," She complained, "My mate. You're _my_ mate." He grinned darkly.

"Always, sweet angel. As you are mine. But we won't have our first kiss here. Later." He kissed her nose, "I'll see you later, my love." He swatted her bottom once and Bella squeaked, hurrying to class as the bell rang. His chuckle followed her, wrapping around her and embracing her.

Odd looks were thrown at her everywhere—some in awe, some in happiness, and others in jealousy. Those who'd already found their mates smiled at Bella, soft encouragement in their eyes. The unmated ones seemed disappointed—the guys anyway, but some of them were just in shock. Bella couldn't look up, feeling almost every eye on her. She practically ran to her French class.

A short, red-haired woman stood at the door, greeting everyone who walked in. She had a cheery disposition, wearing a bright yellow woollen shirt. When her eyes locked on Bella, she smiled brightly and rushed forward, talking to Bella animatedly in her native language. Bella tried her best to understand—honestly, she did—but all she could do was stare at the little woman with a sad smile on her face. Finally, the woman caught on and blushed.

"Oops, I forgot," The woman laughed, her English broken and heavily accented, "You are the new student. I am Madame Bergeron." She smiled brightly, her ancient face crinkling. Bella couldn't help but smile back.

"It's nice to meet you," She said with a grin, "I'm Bella Swan." She flinched when Madame Bergeron sniffed the air, then looked at her knowingly.

"Oh..." She murmured, suddenly looking mischievous, "So you're monsieur _Cullen's_ mate. Interesting..." Bella was just downright worried now, observing Madame Bergeron suspiciously. The tiny woman merely cackled, rubbing her hands together. Something occurred to Bella.

"Is...Edward in this class?" She asked hopefully. Madame Bergeron saw her expression and frowned.

"Oh no, _ma__ chérie_. He was here this morning. I'm sorry." Bella frowned also—the disappointment hitting her hard and fast. She'd just _seen_ Edward—how could she be so eager to see him again?

_He's your mate, _her mind whispered, _that's why. You miss him because he is you. Half of you. Half of your soul. And you want to kiss him, and touch him, and let him touch you, and hear those wicked words from his pouty lips again._ Bella shifted from one foot to another, hot and bothered. Intense embarrassment overtook her when she realized where she was—standing in front of her fifty-something _teacher_.

Madame Bergeron made idle chit chat with Bella for a few more minutes—while the other students poured into the classroom—before practically dragging her into the class. Since it was Bella's first day, and she only knew certain words in French, Madame Bergeron instructed her to just spend the class _listening_—telling Bella to familiarize herself with the language.

Directing her to a seat in the middle of the classroom, Bella sat down and ducked her head, trying not to look at the many staring eyes. They were greedy for information, dying to know more about her. Most of them had even taken to sniffing the air every few minutes, as if they still couldn't believe that _she_ was _Edward Cullen's_ mate. Just the thought of his name sent shivers through her body.

_Strong,_ her mind cooed, _my mate is so very strong. And sexy. I want him so bad. I want him now. Oh God, I want him so bad it hurts. _Her whole body ached for him—to hear him say those naughty phrases again, and to touch her so intimately. The memories of him cupping her surfaced in her mind. She couldn't control the trembles that shot through her.

Trying to distract herself, Bella immersed herself in the flowing language around her. Like she'd thought before, it was honey glazed on words, a pinch of cinnamon, and a side of chocolate. All the good things in life—or at least, most of them—wrapped into one musical language. The words...they were so pretty. Even the words used to describe hideous things were beautiful.

_Dégela..._

_Si belle avec des mots qui sont forgé de la terre et les nuages…_

_Est-ce que tu peux me dire quelque chose?_

_Franchement ma chérie, je m'en fous._

It enticed her, and entranced her. Hypnotic; she could fall asleep like this. _Ask Edward,_ her mind said with a mental grin, _your mate. He'd only be too glad to succumb to your every wish. Just ask him to speak to you. Just imagine all the naughty things he'd say to you in his sweet voice and in that sweet honeysuckle language._

Bella suddenly noticed a brunette girl sitting at the desk beside her. The girl was staring at Bella intently, with a fire in her blue eyes. It wasn't so much a fury as it was a deep confusion and incredibility. Unable to believe this girl was staring at her with such passionate prying, Bella looked around for a moment before pointing to herself and mouthing, _'me?'_. The girl nodded.

"Umm...hi," Bella whispered, "I'm Bella Swan." The girl nodded dismissively.

"Jessica Stanley." She barely introduced herself before shooting the question that'd been sitting on her tongue, "So _you're_ Edward Cullen's mate?" Bella blinked.

"Yeah..." She mumbled, "...I don't get what it's such a big deal." Jessica gave her a look like she'd grown a second head. Bella flinched away from her stare.

"It _is_ a big thing," Jessica hissed, keeping Madame Bergeron in her peripheral view, "He's _Edward_ freaking _Cullen!_ He's a _god!_ How could that _not_ be a big deal?" Bella bit her bottom lip, images coming back to her with each second. _So gorgeous,_ she thought, _and he's all mine_. The thought brought a smile to her lips.

"Can you...tell me what he's like?" Bella asked shyly. Jessica gave her a dubious look for a second before she realized Bella was serious.

"He's...umm..._really_ intimidating, but gorgeous and mysterious. He's like a sexy, dangerous guy—the kind of guy who your parents would be slightly scared of at first. He's hot as Hell, so obviously _almost_ all the unmated girls have asked him out before. Hell, he's been offered blow jobs and girls have offered to be his friends with benefits. But he always says _no_. He has no problem shooting down girls." At this, Jessica gave her a pointed look, "He was obsessed with finding his mate. You'd better be damn glad you're his mate, because any unmated girl would give her left arm to be in your shoes."

Half of Bella was shaking in anger. He was _her_ mate! How _dare_ those..._whores_ try to steal him from her! Logically, she hadn't even known him then, but _goddammit_ they were born for each other! The idea of some other faceless girl giving _her_ Edward any kind of sexual pleasure almost had her retching. But another half of her was ecstatic that Edward had blatantly refused the offers.

Bella nodded, "Thank you, and I am happy. More than anything." She smiled a brilliant grin. Jessica gave her a tight smile and turned back to her desk.

Now that Bella had found her mate—and _oh,_ it filled her with the happiest sensation, like she could take on the world—, it was easier to see the emptiness in _their_ eyes. The ones without mates. Sure, they were lively and laughed along to jokes, but...it was like there was a glassy film in front of their eyes, as if they were only _watching_ their lives pass by, instead of living them. And the emptiness attracted bitterness.

And Bella _wished_ she could show Jessica the happiness she felt! She wanted _everyone_ to feel as happy as she did now—it consumed her, made her want to sing with wild abandon, or climb a mountain. There was nothing better—no better high. It filled her heart, lifted her spirits like nothing ever had or ever would. Even his name—_Edward,_ and she would roll it around in her mouth as she said it, as if she were tasting it, and _holy Heaven_ it tasted good—made her weak to her knees...

She tried to distract herself by listening intently to Madame Bergeron's words. Let the fluent French surround her...hold her tightly. She _tried_—and desperately so—, but all she could think about—again—was how it would sound if it were _Edward_ saying all these things to her.

_My dear, you unravel me._

_I stand before you, bare to your eyes only._

_Save me._

_Love me._

_Lift me up to the sky and close my eyes._

_I give my love to thee._

_Mon amour...__c'est__ pour__ toi__._

_N'importe__ quoi, ma__ chérie__, on__ va__ être__ ensemble._

_Chante__ à__ moi__, une chanson de__ ton cœur__._

_Pour__ moi__..._

_Pour__ toi__..._

And that was how it went. Entirely made up, in her mind. Her fantasies were continuous—and sincerely, she doubted she would stop them—and they attached themselves to her. They were fantasies of sweet moments—a gentle kiss, cuddling on the forest ground, lying together in the afterglow of their love making—and they were fantasies of intimate moments—rolling between the sheets, wicked words whispered, unadulterated desires.

They were _her_ fantasies.

_Tu__ es mon__ réalité__..._

***

She made her way to her next class in a sort of tranquil state. The fantasies—all of them, even the tender, innocent moments—had only served to fuel her desire. But she was at peace with herself—because now everything could become _real_. There were no restrictions, no inhibitions. Only a powerful, never-ending love. A flame that would never die out or dim, only grow stronger with the years.

There was a delicate demon inside of her, and it loved Edward unconditionally too. The demon—and in her mind's eye, she could see that the demon looked identical to her, but with garnet eyes and a wicked smile—was sexually insatiable and not _completely_ stable. It was the part of her that supplied her fantasies, and it was also the part of her that was desperately afraid that she would lose Edward.

_I miss him,_ the demon whimpered; _can we just go see him? Please? Just once before class?_ It almost disturbed Bella—the evil-looking demon looked so helpless and vulnerable, aching for Edward's touch and voice. Her big blood eyes were filled with tears, so close to spilling over. She tried to imagine a soft, loving moment with Edward, both of them lying together—fully clothed, as it was perfectly innocent—, holding each other.

He would whisper his love in her ear, reassuring her. She would smile back and whisper her love to him. Edward's green eyes—heavy-lidded, but blazing—would lock on her lips, and he would lean down, brushing their lips together. Bella, drunk with her passion and love, would softly suck his bottom lip, and he would grin, returning the favour.

It sated the demon's desires—not for very long, but long enough. She walked to her Current Events class in a trance—or something similar, but that really didn't matter. Jessica had gone off to Dance class, giving her one last pained smile before darting off. Angela wasn't anywhere in sight, and honestly Bella hadn't seen her since early lunch. She sighed, trudging up the stairs.

The last door at the end of the hallway was her classroom, so Bella raced to it, trying to beat the bell. Of course, she did, stepping into the class and giving it a once over. The teacher—a woman with thick brown hair tied back in a ponytail—was standing at the front of the class, setting up the projector and her laptop. She gave Bella a smile before gesturing to around the class, as if to say _'sit-where-you-want'_.

And then Bella gasped and beamed.

Because sitting at an empty row of three desks...

Was Edward.

She squealed—in the sort of obnoxious way that had her blushing in mortification—and rushed forward, engulfing him in a hug. He chuckled—and though he seemed to be doing that a lot, Bella loved it—and pecked her on the cheek, nuzzling her neck. He practically _threw_ her into the chair beside him. She kissed the underside of his jaw and he hummed in pleasure.

"Hmm...this is certainly a good greeting," He murmured, "Very nice. I liked it. I hope that's how you always greet me." He was teasing her, but there was an undertone of seriousness in his tone. Bella smiled and nodded. _Want more, _the demon said eagerly, _oh please? Just one more kiss? Only on his cheek—I swear that's enough. _Bella listened to her demon and gave Edward one more kiss on the cheek.

More students made their way into the class—and _all_ eyes were on Edward and Bella, with various emotions in their gazes—until the bell rang, as then the teacher shut the door. _There sure are a lot of female teachers here, _Bella thought, _though I did see a few male teachers in the hallway._ One of the students was little Alice Cullen, who skipped over to the desk beside Bella.

"Hi Bella," She chirped, "Hey Edward." Bella and Edward smiled simultaneously at Alice, who was eagerly bouncing in her chair. She was about to say more—and Bella was sure Alice would flow into a full-blown conversation in a matter of milliseconds—, but the teacher cut her off, starting the lesson.

It was easy enough. Again, the lesson was in French, so Bella merely listened and tried to keep up, getting the gist of what they were saying. The expressions were lost on her, but simple words were quickly translated in her head. The class _would've_ been easy enough—because honestly, what did she have to do other than sit there and smile like she got it?

That was, until halfway through the lesson when Edward put his hand high up on her thigh.

Bella stiffened, looking at him from the corner of her eye. He was grinning crookedly, a devilish gleam in his forest eyes. She squirmed, silently telling him to stop. He didn't. _Not good,_ her mind whimpered, _feels so good. That little punk! He's trying to rile me up._

_Oh...but it's so nice,_ demon-Bella sighed, _so warm. And tender. _Bella looked over at him more intently this time, prepared to just outright tell him to stop, when she noticed his expression. Edward looked focussed—extremely so. He was concentrating on something, and it made him grind his teeth together in frustration. Worry etched its way into her brain.

He did this for a few minutes, the tendons in his neck popping out. He was working up a sweat, concentrating _so_ hard on something Bella couldn't understand. The hand on her thigh squeezed lightly every so often—Bella began to realize that he hadn't put his hand there to rile her up, but to maintain some sort of physical contact with her. Straining. Fighting. His eyes squeezed shut tightly.

And then she felt it.

It was probing at her mind, forcing its way into her brain. Something intrusive, yet familiar. It was warm and sweet, tasting of sunshine and sugar. Though most of Bella wanted to reject this intrusion, demon-Bella wouldn't allow it. She graciously allowed the _thing_ to invade her mind, protecting it. Her eyes had long slid shut, _trying_ to see the _thing_ in her mind.

'_Hello Bella.'_

Bella's eyes snapped open.

'_Edward?!'_

'_Hmm...yes, sweetheart?'_

'_How did you...'_ She glanced over at him, shock and bewilderment buried deep within her. He was smirking, his eyes still shut tight.

'_You want to know how I connected our minds together?'_

'_...Yeah.'_

'_Oh, it's quite simple, Bella. You see, since we're mates, our minds were connected to begin with. We're halves of a whole, remember? Had we known each other our whole lives, the connection would've just appeared instantaneously. Since we just met...I needed to uncover the connection.'_

'_So...you can read my mind?'_ Bella thought this with a twinge of embarrassment. Even with him being her mate, she couldn't hold back her mortification. Oh, wouldn't he have a laugh at demon-Bella.

'_Demon-Bella?'_ He thought sceptically, _'Hmm...she looks like you. And she likes me.'_ He grinned, _'And, to answer your question, yes, I can read your mind. Just like—if you try—you can read my mind too. But, if it really bothers you, I can cloud the connection. I can't completely sever it, seeing as how one of us would have to die. But I can make it extremely hard to read.'_

Bella bit her bottom lip, _'No...it's okay. I kind of like it.'_ Edward opened his eyes—they were smouldering in the light of the room.

'_Good,'_ He thought, drawing the word out.

He spent the rest of the class torturing her to near insanity. He caressed her mind delicately, giving it little touches. His mind whispered loving and wicked words, drawing intense reactions from her. He probed her mind, drawing forth memories of her past, her goals, her likes, her dislikes, and everything that made Bella, _Bella_. He used his mind to give her imaginary pleasure; he made her feel like his hands were caressing her stomach and thighs. Little kisses planted on her neck.

'_Edward...'_ Her mind moaned, _'Please stop. Can't take anymore. I'm going to explode.'_ His mind snickered, but thankfully stopped his delightful torture. Trying to copy what he had done, Bella expanded her mind, trying to probe into the very caverns of his deepest thoughts. His eyelids dropped, his lips quirking into a lazy smile.

'_Mmm...feels so good,'_ His thoughts groaned, _'Please, baby, take all your time. I love this.'_ She blushed, but kept at it. At one point, an actual moan escaped his lips, low enough for only Bella to hear.

Finally, the last bell rang. Edward and Bella got up together—Alice had already bounded out of the class in search of Jasper—, and, taking each other's hand, they walked off to their lockers. She could feel Edward's eyes boring into the back of her head, and she could hear his many thoughts. She tried not to listen, because they were simply overwhelming her.

They were silent during this time, collecting their bags and packing up their books. When Bella shut her locker door, she turned to Edward and wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him to her tightly. He threw an arm lazily over her shoulders, pushing her head into his chest and twirling strands of chocolate locks around his fingers. Bella sighed in contentment.

'_My dad is driving me home,'_ She thought, placing a kiss on his chest, _'Can you please come meet him? Even for a few minutes?' _He chuckled aloud.

'_I'd love to, angel,'_ He said lowly in his mind, _'It'd be an honour to meet my future father-in-law.'_

Bella shivered at this, and her heart tightened, as she thought of the happiness that now encased her. Edward bent his head, leaving a kiss on the crown of her head. It was a private moment, where their thoughts were quiet and their breathing synced up. After a moment of two, Edward lifted his head.

"Let's go meet your father, sweet love," He murmured, taking her hand and leading her out the building. Her father's car was waiting in front of the school. She could see him narrowing his eyes through the window. She instinctively put herself in front of Edward, as if to protect him—though it was literally a _crime_ to try to separate two mates indefinitely. She descended the stairs, not allowing Edward to pass her.

Charlie got out of the car, making his way around it to stand in front of Bella. She drew in a deep breath and said, "Dad, this is my mate, Edward." Her father's eyes widened and his face went blank. Edward finally managed to stand _beside_ Bella instead of behind her. He held out his hand.

"Hello sir, my name is Edward Cullen. It's nice to finally meet you."

At first Charlie did nothing. He merely stared at Edward, as if he were trying to see into Edward's very _soul_. He was trying to intimidate him. But Edward didn't flinch or even blink. Then—after a few heartbeats of intense tension—Charlie gripped Edward's hand firmly and shook it. This time, his moustache couldn't hide his beaming grin.

"Welcome to the family, son."

--

A/N: Wow. That took forever. I'll update this quicker next time. Oh, one more thing: I _love_ Twilight moms! I don't know why. I just freaking love them. And I also love _**The Acclimation Diaries**_ (just pimping out my new favourite story...hint hint...go read). The song that helped this chapter along was **Waking Dream** by _Natalie Walker_. Oh, and here's all the French translated:

_Ma chérie_ = My dear.

_Dégela_ = Disgusting.

_Si belle avec des mots qui sont forge de la terre et les nuages_ = So beautiful with the words that are forged from the earth and the clouds.

_Est-ce que tu peux me dire quelque chose?_ = Can you tell me something?

_Franchement, ma chérie, je m'en fous_ = Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn.

_Mon amour...c'est pour toi_ = My love...it's for you.

_N'importe__ quoi, ma__ chérie__, on__ va__ être__ ensemble._ = No matter what, my dear, we'll be together.

_Chante__ à__ moi__, une chanson de__ ton cœur__._ = Sing to me a song from your heart.

_Pour__ moi__..._ = For me...

_Pour__ toi__..._ = For you...

_Tu__ es mon__ réalité__..._ = You are my reality.

--Breathless Tomb--


	5. Chapter 4: Phone

A/N: Hey people. I'm finally done this chapter. I'm sorry I'm so enthusiastic right now—I'm extremely tired. I also can't think of what to say in this box-thing. There'll be more information in my author's note at the end of the chapter. That's where I put everything. And, today is my birthday! I wanted to do something special, so I'm releasing this chapter earlier and I can't wait for my beta. I'm sorry **octoberland**. :( So, read on...

Summary: In an alternate universe, where fictional characters are the living, and the breathing humans are merely figments of dreams, there's a world where the impossible is reality. Isabella has been bound to her mate, in a way irrevocable to any animate creature. Life is about to get interesting… OOC, AH/AU. ExB.

**Title: **Joined Hearts And Dominant Hungers

**Rating: **M

**Author: **Breathless Tomb

Chapter 4

**3****rd**** Person's POV**

Conversations.

Conversations.

Conversations.

Conversations turn to impatience. Wait—no they don't. Conversations dwindle, becoming familiar and friendly, a chat between friends. Or, in such cases as Bella's new and growing family, between her mate and her father. She waited in amusement as the two men talked, bonding over the smallest things. They'd gone through at least a dozen subjects, though they'd barely been talking for ten minutes.

"You take care, Edward," Charlie finally bid him goodnight. The sun in the sky shone down brilliantly; the soft, sweet tinge of lilac swimming into the blue of the sky. Clouds of cotton puffs and Q-tips flowed together, forming images and _things_. Bella had never been someone to pass up a beautiful sight—nature was something she appreciated.

"You too, Charlie," Edward returned, before leaning down to kiss the top of Bella's head—who was currently in his arms—, "I'll talk to you tomorrow," He whispered in her ear. Bella smiled and twisted around in his arms to hug him gently.

Breaking the hug, Bella followed her dad to the car, getting in the passenger seat. Edward stood still as she buckled up, keeping a close eye on his mate. Charlie made his way around the car, getting into the driver's seat. Slipping the key into the ignition, he started the car.

'Bye, my mate,' Bella mouthed to Edward as the car pulled away from him. He nodded in understanding, his lips dancing playfully, his eyes dark. The very same unreadable emotion was back, which Bella couldn't quite identify—it seemed like possessiveness, but...more so. It haunted his jade eyes.

'_Good bye, my sweet love,'_ he thought to her, _'I'll see you tomorrow morning bright and early at school'_. He thought this as the car pulled out of the parking lot, his mental voice getting quieter with the amount of distance being put between them. Bella frowned, feeling the emptiness consume her, wrapping around like a second skin. It wasn't enjoyable.

"He's a good kid," Charlie said in his usual gruff voice—and Bella could hear the faint traces of a smile in his tone—, "I expect he's going to take you to his house tomorrow?" He raised an eyebrow, still driving slowly down the road. Bella blushed fiercely.

"Well yeah, to meet his family—"

"Be sure to use protection. I don't want any grandkids yet."

"Dad!" Bella's face now matched a fire truck. She was used to this though. Charlie had a habit of being painstakingly blunt, no matter if the moment required subtly. He was not very discreet about his intended meaning. Even now, as Bella spluttered for something to say, he sat there with his eyes calmly trained on the road. It was almost as if he didn't _realize_ what he had said was inappropriate.

"What? You're _way_ too young to get pregnant. If you're going to be...sexually active with him, at least be safe." As he said this, he flipped up one of the armrests, revealing a small compartment underneath the leather-and-plastic armrest. And—not too surprisingly to the situation—the compartment was filled to the brim with condoms. Condoms of every size, with labels that read of flavours and lubrication.

There were no words now. Bella simply shoved her face into her hands, groaning to herself. Embarrassment flooded itself into her veins, burning her. The vibrations of the car shook her, knocking her teeth together. Accidently, she bit down on her tongue, sending a jolt of pain through her. She yelped, sitting upright. Charlie burst into laughter.

"It's not funny!" Bella exclaimed, her voice slurred by her floppy tongue, "It's embarrassing!" Charlie grinned.

"Well, you need to know these things. It's important. Renée should be giving you the talk tonight, and you can borrow _these_ for tomorrow—"

"Why do you even have those?!" Before Charlie could answer her though, Bella cut him off, "You know what, don't answer that. I don't want to know."

"Alright then. You can use as many as you'd like though; they all belong to you now," He chuckled, his grin visible under his thick moustache. Trees whipped by them, not yet blurs but close to it. Bella snapped the armrest back down, her teeth clenched tightly.

"You're making me out to sound like Brigitte Bardot," She mumbled, looking out the window—avoiding eye contact with Charlie—, "I'm not some sex kitten." Both of their faces went red at her words, an awkward silence settling, clouding the space with tension. Bella shifted her gaze, staring out the window as Charlie drove. Resting her head against the window, she closed her eyes again, suddenly tired.

Sleep barely fogged over the edges of her consciousness, not really claiming her, but not letting her go either. A choke-hold, if that made sense. Every so often, she'd come close to blacking out and then the car would hit a pothole, rocking her into reality again. It irritated her, her head rolling around uncomfortably with each bump the car took. _We need headrests,_ she thought bitterly.

Turning down streets and waving at passerbies, Charlie finally pulled up to their house, parking carefully in the asphalt driveway. Twisting the key out of the ignition, the engine cut off, the vibrations running through the car coming to a halt. Bella unlocked her door, pushing it open and stepping out, her feet hitting the ground with a soft _thump_. Quickly, she trotted into the house, Charlie following after her.

Renée was apparently already home, in the kitchen cooking up a storm. Hearing her mother singing along to the radio, Bella smirked, wiping her shoes on the mat near the door and toeing them off, kicking them into a pile by the closet. Charlie chuckled too at the sound of his wife's slightly off-key voice repeating the lyrics. It was a rather new song, very pop-ish. The boy singing it had a feminine voice, helping Renée slightly.

"Having fun, mum?" Bella asked slyly, making her way into the kitchen, her bag still slung over her shoulder. Abruptly, her mother stopped singing, but a bright smile lit up her face with childlike excitement. Her hands were sprinkled with sugar, an apron tied around her neck and waist. Baking ingredients decorated the island in the middle of the kitchen. Bella's eyebrows rose.

"A lot, thank you very much," Renée retorted, a spatula gripped tightly in her hand—and Bella now noticed that her face was speckled with flour—, "I'm making scones!" Charlie chuckled, coming into the room and throwing his jacket over one of the chairs at the table. He took a seat, grinning widely as Bella rolled her eyes.

"Well, what's for dinner then, since you're so busy making _scones?_" She teased. Renée scoffed, picking up a small container of blueberries and dropping them individually into a bowl of mix.

"We have leftovers in the fridge," She said, smiling brightly, her lips pulling back to expose her teeth, "Or you can order out. You don't have to cook if you don't want to." Her green eyes sparkled.

"Don't worry, mom. We can order out." Rolling her eyes with the smirk still in place, Bella walked out of the kitchen, making her way up the stairs to her room. She could hear her mother's singing start up again, her father too joining in. Trotting into her room quietly, Bella shut her door behind her, feeling and _hearing_ the silence engulf again.

Now that she was..._aware_ of her opened mind—which was aching for Edward's mental voice—, it was hard to cope with the emptiness. Demon-Bella, who kept making comments in her mind, was _desperately_ wishing to see him again. Demon-Bella couldn't understand _why_ she would have to leave Edward. He was her _mate,_ and she was entitled to be with him whenever she wanted to.

Throwing her bag onto her bed, she immediately turned her computer on. As it started up, Bella peeled off her socks, throwing them into the hamper behind her door. The logo for the computer company shone on the screen and Bella sat down on the chair pushed against the desk. Typing in her password, she watched as her background popped up.

_I bet Edward misses us,_ demon-Bella whined, _why couldn't we go home with him today?_ In Bella's mind, she could see her demon-self bat her eyelashes, her red eyes glistening. She shook the image away, crossing her legs on the chair and shrugging her sweater off onto the back of the chair. She clicked the speakers on, hearing the resounding buzz fill the air.

She knew _why_ she couldn't go home with Edward. Because, just as her father assumed, something _would_ happen there. The consummation of their mating, to be exact. Even at school, an electricity had crackled between them—a fire begging to be doused. Bella didn't think either of them would be able to wait even another day longer. The connection was too strong, and gripping. It played with her libido even as she thought about it. She could barely understand the emotion. _Excitement_.

Wiping her mind clear of those thoughts—which were causing her face to flame up and her stomach to tighten—, she grinned at her computer, the mouse finally coming into view. Moving her mouse over one of the desktop icons, she double clicked on it, waiting for the software to pop up. She gave it a few minutes, twiddling her thumbs.

The photo editing software loaded up, and Bella clicked into her saved files, pulling open one of her unfinished projects. She grinned happily, surveying her nearly completed masterpiece. _Only a few more finishing touches, _she thought, _and then it's ready for posting._ Relaxing into her chair, Bella began to finish up the editing, cropping and moulding and highlighting the picture.

The photo was something she'd stumbled across while surfing the internet. It'd been a rough photo of a mated couple at the beach, the colours not defined, and the background dull. Lifeless. So, Bella had taken it upon herself to brighten up the picture. She'd played with the colours, bringing out the reds and yellows of the sunset, and smoothed the photo out.

Suffice to say, she was immensely proud of it, and couldn't wait to post it.

Finishing it up, she saved it, smiling smugly to herself. She closed down the software, pulling up the internet and typing a site into the address bar. Her blogging site popped up, letting her log it. Buzzing with excitement, she immediately started blogging, using the browser to find her photo, clicking on it. Letting it load up, she wrote a little something in the text box below.

**Took me a week to finish up. Hope you guys like.  
Oh, and I found my mate today!!  
Perfect day!**

She let out a breath of relief, seeing the now-blogged picture on the front page of her blog. Her appetite now satiated, she scrolled down the dashboard, seeing the updates of other bloggers she was following. One of her favourite bloggers—**oceannette**—had recently reblogged a random photo Bella had pasted the other day—just a little something she'd taken directly from a site, not bothering to edit.

Bella went onto **oceannette**'s blog, checking out her new photos. They were nice—amazing even, since **oceannette** had great taste—but nothing remarkable. She 'liked' one particular picture, but quickly went back to the dashboard, seeing new photos pop up. One of them caught her eye, and a smile blossomed on her face.

Her absolute favourite blogger had _just_ updated, and she couldn't contain her squeal. The picture was absolutely _gorgeous_—a terrifying mix of macabre and romance. It was of a dead girl, held in the careful arms of her lover. The photo was surrounded by an aura of painful love, highlighted in shades of beiges and pinks. Instantly, Bella reblogged it, adding her own little quote in the text box.

It popped up on her dashboard—**bumblebee** _has reblogged_ **jadeite**—and she bit down on her bottom lip, anxious. **Jadeite** was absolutely amazing, but a complete mystery. While Bella had at least put some information about herself on her profile, **jadeite** had nothing. _She_ or _he_ was also quite the popular one on her blog site—constantly being reblogged, with constant photos being 'liked' multiple times over. **Jadeite** had only ever reblogged her once, but the feeling of it had been amazing.

Bella doubted the extraordinary blogger would ever remember her.

She refreshed the page numerous times, but was disappointed to see that the elusive **jadeite** had disappeared. New photos and videos and quotes popped up from the other people she was following, but nothing she was looking for. She hadn't _expected_ the mystery blogger to notice her—and even if **jadeite** _had, _what would the blogger have done?—but she would've liked it. A sigh escaped her lips, her shoulders rolling back.

There was a knock at her door and Bella called the person in.

Charlie stepped in, one hand in his pocket and one hand wrapped around a cordless phone. "I'm ordering us pizza," He explained, "You just want pepperoni, right?" Bella grinned and nodded.

"Definitely. All-dressed makes me sick."

He laughed, "I know. I remember the puking-incident last year." He rolled his eyes, turning on his heel and leaving her room. Just before he got out of sight—about to descend the staircase—, he called to her over his shoulder, "You can come downstairs for now anyway. I need someone to help me set the table while Renée keeps baking." And then he was gone, his footsteps becoming fainter.

Bella chuckled and pushed her chair out, refreshing the page one last time hopelessly. Not expecting anything good to happen, she moved her mouse over the x-button, ready to close the page. A second before she did though, the page loaded fully, and two things caught her eye. The first one was her most recent photo, reblogged, of course by none other than **jadeite**. There was a message underneath.

**A week? I never would've guessed; you have a true talent.  
And congratulations on your mating.  
I wish you both the best of luck.**

Her eyes watered, suddenly feeling touched. The second thing caused a complete opposite reaction though, making her squeal and clap her hands together. Her spirit soared.

**Jadeite** _is now following you._

Charlie and Bella sat side by side, laughing together over an old episode of The Jetsons. The table had been set—the plates and glasses, knives and forks. Now they were just waiting for the pizza to arrive—they'd ordered ten minutes ago. Renée scones were now in the oven, and she was upstairs in hers and Charlie's bedroom, putting away some clothes.

"I like Elroy," Bella commented, "I can respect him. He'd be a good brother." Charlie grunted on agreement, but grinned. His chocolate eyes—so akin to Bella's own eyes—followed the images intently, hardly ever flitting over to Bella's face as she made tiny comments. Though it probably would've been better for Bella had he made small talk with her, he remained relatively silent.

Her stomach was still in knots from missing Edward. It wasn't horrible, or very painful. It was simply _intense_, and throbbing. It was constantly on the forefront of her mind, with demon-Bella adding in commentary to make her miss Edward even more. She needed _something_ to distract her from the need to see Edward, but Charlie wasn't aware of her need for him to start talking to fill the void of emptiness within her.

Different mated couples dealt with the pain in different ways. For Bella, she needed to be majorly distracted—to focus on something else. If she was engaged in conversation, she was sure she could be sufficiently preoccupied. For Charlie, on the other hand, he needed silence while missing his mate, to concentrate on pushing the nothingness away. He thought she needed the same.

Interrupting her thoughts, the doorbell rang. Charlie moved to get up, but Bella beat him to it, up and sprinting for the door. _Another distraction,_ her mind sighed happily, _finally_. Yanking open the front door, she came face-to-face with a kid she recognized from one of her classes. Eric Yorkie. An Asian boy with a pox-marked complexion. His face was neutral—ready to riddle off the price—, but a grin lit up his features as he noticed her.

"Isabella Swan!" He exclaimed eagerly, "I didn't know you lived here!" The pizza box lay in his semi-outstretched arms, smelling of cheese and tomatoes. Bella laughed, reaching into the back pocket of her jeans to pull out thirty dollars.

"Well, we _did_ move here two days ago," She pointed out. Eric blushed.

"Oh. Right. Forgot about that," He chuckled nervously. Suddenly, something seemed to occur to him, and he glanced over Bella's shoulder, "So…is Edward here?" Bella frowned and shook her head, the desolated feeling coming back to her. Eric seemed to relax as she shook her head.

"No…so…umm…how much for the pizza?" She asked quietly. In a fluster, Eric read out the price, handing the pizza box to her. Bella paid him and big him goodnight, closing the door. Bringing the box into the kitchen, she frowned, seeing her mom and dad laughing together over something. The harmony between them was quite apparent, as well as the love. Her heart ached for Edward.

Wordlessly, Bella placed the box on the table. She opened the box, taking out the small, triangular plastic piece from the middle of the pizza, and getting a knife. Charlie, noticing her presence, gently took the knife from her hand, cutting the pizza into pieces for her. Feeling the atmosphere in the room thicken with tension, Bella walked over to the table and picked up her plate, bringing it back to Charlie.

"I think I'm going to eat in my room," She announced nearly inaudibly, holding the plate before her, "I have a bit of homework to do anyway." Charlie quickly caught onto why she was refusing to eat supper with them, catching Renée's confused eyes. He nodded in confirmation—as Renée seemed to suspect something too—but said not a word as he plopped a greasy slice onto the china plate.

With a dancing smile, Bella picked up her glass of water and swiftly departed the room, heading up the stairs. On the top floor, she crossed the hallway in long, smooth strides, closing her door behind her again once she found her bedroom. This time, as she sat down at her desk, she didn't pull up the internet. She simply sat there, eating silently.

The pizza wasn't really amazing to her. In fact, it was one _delicacy_ she could've done without. The cheese was thick and heavy, sliding down her throat like a bucket of fat. Bella grimaced, ripping another piece off with her teeth and chewing slowly. It was like biting into rubber, and her molars didn't quite want to work. Not the best meal. _This_ was why she wasn't big on melted cheese.

Taking a gulp of water, she washed away the taste of the tomato sauce, her mouth feeling spicy. Bella wrinkled her nose—she didn't know her mouth _could_ taste spicy. There was still the crust left to her pizza, but she honestly felt full. Besides, the crust looked dry and crunchy, not exactly appetizing. She left it there, gulping down the rest of her water.

Bella pushed her plate to the side, bringing up the internet once again, but choosing this time to search for new photos on her favourite search engine for photos. As if on _automatic_—or auto-pilot, but they both meant the same thing—, she went about her business as usual, plucking up potential images and blogging whatever came to mind. _I need to get out more,_ she thought with a mental grin.

The night settled in gracefully, the sky darkening down, with an array of colours streaming across the horizon. Biting her lip, Bella stood up slowly, making her way over to her bedside table, picking up her camera. With the many colours still fixed into the evening sky, she opened her window, leaning her upper body slightly out. Bella gulped, half-expecting to fall out at any moment.

Since her entire neighbourhood seemed to be on a slant, Bella could easily see the tops of further houses from her vantage point. A smile flicked up her lips as Bella brought the camera up to eye level. A couple of snaps later and Bella had her photos. Satisfaction burrowed its way into her veins, and Bella was powerless to stop the content sigh from leaving her throat.

Suddenly, there was a knock at her door. Without waiting for an answer—which was _definitely_ a bad idea for anyone with a teenage daughter—, Charlie walked in, holding the cordless phone again. In confusion, Bella tilted her head slightly to the side, moving away from the window, and simultaneously holding out her hand. Charlie handed it to her with a Machiavellian smirk, before heading off from the room, shutting the door behind him. She placed the phone against her ear.

"Hello?"

"Hello, sweetheart."

_Edward._

"Edward," She breathed, her thoughts and voice in sync. She heard his husky laugh, ringing with the same velvety texture.

"I'm glad to hear from you too, Bella," He murmured lowly, "Before you ask, Alice found your number in the phone book and gave it to me. I couldn't resist calling."

"I'm glad you did," She said quietly, not trying to resist smiling, "So, what are you up to?"

"Hmm…not too much. I've just been relaxing…and thinking."

"Oh," Bella blushed fiercely, and demon-Bella snickered, "About what?"

"I was thinking, I think we should practice before…tomorrow." His voice tracked on vicious desire near the end, something that sent sparks running through Bella's core.

"W-what?" She spluttered, somewhat confused. His gravelly chuckle rang clear again.

"I just mean, whenever we're around each other, we have a pretty violent attraction to one another. I was just thinking that it would be…beneficial to the both of us to try to get a firm grip on that desire, and see how we _really_ react to the other."

"And how do you propose we do that?" It took everything in Bella not to trip over her words. She closed her eyes, breathing slightly heavier.

"Hmm..." He debated something for a moment, and Bella quivered in anticipation, "How about you touch yourself for me?"

"You get straight to the point, don't you?" She chuckled nervously. The room suddenly felt much smaller, as if it were about to collapse...and trap her in there. There was only her and Edward—well, his voice—now.

"Yes, I do. Now, what are you wearing?"

Bella looked down at herself. She had changed right after setting the table, so now she was wearing a simple pair of taupe cargo shorts and a white tank top. Repeating this to Edward, she was slightly surprised when he seemed to hum in approval. _Don't most guys like it when their girls only wear panties and bras?,_ she thought in confusion, _I didn't think he would want to deal with extra clothing._

"How sweet," He murmured, "I want you to take your shirt off, okay? Let those little perky breasts out in the open for me." Blushing, Bella put the phone down momentarily, whipping her shirt off, feeling the cool air from the window chill her skin, making goose bumps pop up.

"Alright," She whispered, cradling the phone again against her ear.

"Now take off those pants for me, 'kay?" She nodded to herself as he spoke, squirming out of her cargo shorts, letting them slip off the bed onto the floor.

"They're off," She whispered again, her blush deep.

He chuckled, "Is my little mate shy? Hmm...that's cute, sweetie." He paused for a moment, and Bella could've sworn she heard the rustling of fabric before he spoke again, "I want you to suck on two of your fingers, baby. Pretend that I'm kissing your body and drag those little fingers between your breasts." Bella whimpered subconsciously at his words, but complied, wetting two of her fingers before dragging them down her neck to the middle of her breasts.

"That was such a sexy little noise, baby," Edward groaned, "Take that bra off for me and pinch those sweet little nipples. I want you to play with them for me—do what feels good." There was a distinct smile in his voice, and Bella suddenly felt incredibly shy, like other people could hear their conversation. She reached around and unclasped her bra, throwing it off to the side and then returned her hand to her chest, trying not to stare at her chest as she took her nipples between her forefinger and thumb, squeezing. She moaned quietly.

"Mmm...that's not nearly loud enough, sweetie. Does it not feel good?"

"I want you to be here," She whispered, then smiled hearing his groan, "It's not good enough."

"I know sweetie...tomorrow we'll spend all night exploring, okay?" At her muffled moan, he continued, "Now, I want you to slide your hand down your belly and into those panties of yours." She again did as he said, gliding one of her hands down her soft, flat stomach and under the elastic edges of her panties. Carefully, she parted her legs, gently stroking her engorged bundle of nerves.

"Fuck, Edward!" She cried out, rubbing her clit faster, circling and pinching it lightly.

"Mmm...does my cute girl have a dirty mouth?" He growled, "That's so fucking sexy, baby. Keep touching yourself—but don't slip your fingers inside yourself. The only thing in you from this point on will be _my_ cock, or _my_ tongue, or _my_ fingers." She whimpered, swirling her hips, feeling something in her lower stomach tighten. Again, she heard the sound of rustling fabric and panting breaths.

"Are you touching yourself?" She breathed, almost inaudibly.

"Fuck yes, sweetie...just keep moaning like you are. Can you feel how wet you are for me, baby?" He was growling his words now, slurring them together, almost as if they were lyrics to her own personal song. She moaned in confirmation to his words.

"I can't wait until you're in my bed tomorrow," He snarled, and Bella's fingers picked up pace, her hips bucking now, desperate for release, "I'm going to make you so fucking wet for me—even wetter than you are now—and then I'm going to lick every drop of your sweet honey up. You're going to be screaming my name so fucking loud!"

"Edward!!" Bella cried out, her entire body seizing up before pleasure of a startling force rolled up and through her body, her muscles locking before relaxing. She licked her lips repeatedly, trying to catch her breath. She heard a loud snarl from Edward before everything went quiet, only the sounds of their breaths.

Looking down, Bella noticed a wet, sticky mess between her thighs. Realization coming back to her, she flushed a deep scarlet, clenching her thighs to hide the mess from her eyes. As her body came down from its high, she brought her knees closer to her chest, a vast smile unfurling from her lips. She giggled unexpectedly—a little tinkling sound.

"I love you, my Edward," She mumbled into the phone, "Thank you..." Lying onto her back—with her knees still drawn up to her chest—, she could've sworn she heard Edward chuckle.

"I love you too, my Bella," He said in his smooth voice, "As long as you feel good, I'm only too happy. Get some sleep now, sweetie. We have an eventful day tomorrow. Bye, my sweet love." And then the phone disconnected, a low ringing in her ear.

A/N: Bah, the ending wasn't what I was hoping for. Oh wells. I'll get better at this sort of thing. I realize I haven't updated in so many months! I'm so sorry! I'll try to get better. As for Bella's blog...I thought it was necessary. Real life people have them, so why not her? My Bella is more of a creative soul—photography and photo editing all the way. This chapter was a semi-lemon, but the next chapter will for sure be a lemon. For sure. It starts off really soon in this story—there's no reason for it not to.

I'll be back soon.

--Breathless Tomb--


	6. Chapter 5: Fright

A/N: Aye yah yah, I'm not in the mood to be writing. Mostly because I feel a little sick right now. Plus it's just summer and I detest summer because the weather is buggy and disgusting here. Bleh. Anyway, read this chapter and review if you want more. Sorry I take forever…

Summary: In an alternate universe, where fictional characters are the living, and the breathing humans are merely figments of dreams, there's a world where the impossible is reality. Isabella has been bound to her mate, in a way irrevocable to any animate creature. Life is about to get interesting… OOC, AH/AU. ExB.

…

**Title: **Joined Hearts And Dominant Hungers

**Rating: **M

**Author: **Breathless Tomb

Chapter 5

**3****rd**** Person's POV**

…

The whole ride to school the next day, Bella felt as if her stomach was going to collapse in on itself. She bit her lip, not even meeting the gaze of her father. After the phone call last night…well, that'd only solidified the fact of what was going to happen tonight. She was shaking—literally—in her seat, almost petrified that Charlie could read her mind, and see what she was thinking of. More particularly, _who_.

Despite Charlie's bluntness about knowing what was going to happen tonight, Bella knew he still wasn't completely at peace with the idea. She still was _his little girl_.

Her arm was resting above the infamous armrest, and it burned beneath her flesh. She faintly realized that perhaps she'd need to use the…_essential items_ beneath the armrest, but there was _no way_ she'd ask Charlie for them, or even take them in front of Charlie. Her embarrassment only seemed to climb each time she glanced down at the leather compartment beneath her arm.

A plan was formed.

The moment Charlie parked, waiting for Bella to get out, Bella pointed out the window dramatically and yelled, "Holy shit, dad! Look out there!" And she said it with so much panic that Charlie focussed every last drop of his attention at whatever was outside the window. During his momentary lapse of attention, Bella lifted the armrest, reaching in to grab a large handful of the condoms, dumping them into her open bag. Snapping the compartment closed, she rushed out of the car without saying goodbye.

Watching his daughter run away, Charlie Swan let out a chuckle as he spotted a stray condom on her seat. Bella was his daughter through and through. It was almost humorous.

No…it was completely humorous.

Bella's face was stained red as she walked into the school. With the condoms now stuffed in her bag, she now feared if someone would find out or not. Running to her locker—not seeing any sign of Edward anywhere—, she shoved her bag into the locker, making sure no one saw _any_ of the contents of her bag as she grabbed the necessary books. Without letting a second pass, she slammed the door shut, locking it. The panic now fled her, leaving Bella feeling breathless but utterly relieved.

_I need some kind of therapy,_ she thought to herself, _people cannot read minds nor have x-ray vision._ Still, she couldn't help but feel slightly worried. Each mated couple must've gone through the same thing—the same irrational urge to bond fully with their chosen one—and even the unmated ones had been taught what the mating would bring about in their later years, but Bella still felt as though she'd be ridiculed for feeling so desperate for Edward.

_It's not a bad thing,_ she pouted, _anyone would want Edward. Everyone does want Edward._

The mating thing was a strange process. People like Alice and Jasper—who'd found their mates so early on in life, as she'd been told the other day—did not feel the same attraction as adult mates did during _the bond_.

The bond itself was the first moment that the mates ever laid eyes on each other. The very first glimpse, and words, and feelings, and shared thoughts. It was a highly intimate and private thing, not something to be intruded upon. For the older humans, the bond itself was usually followed by the consummation of the bond—in other words, what was going to happen with Edward _tonight_ for Bella. But for the younger folk, the bond was just the meeting of the mates.

Alice has described meeting Jasper as if she were seeing a President or a Hollywood star. Complete awe and uncertainty—what to do? She'd felt no urge to be intimate with him—nor he with her—until their later years as they entered into high school. They'd stolen kisses even throughout their childhood, but sex hadn't been a factor of their relationship until their adolescent years. Not at all like how Bella felt around Edward.

Because Bella wanted to kiss her mate fully, dig her fingers into his tousled hair, bite on the tender flesh between his shoulder and neck, feel his hands skim up her sides and over—

"Hey, Isabella!" A boy her age called out, running in her direction. Bella blinked out of her daydream, feeling frustrated and a little aggravated at this unknown boy. But, putting a polite smile on her face, Bella chuckled as he stopped in front of her.

"It's…uh…just Bella," She said awkwardly. The boy frowned, confused.

"What?"

"My name. You can just call me Bella. Isabella's just a little long and…yeah…" She trailed off, feeling embarrassed. The boy's bright smile came back on his face. He really did have a handsome face—dark smooth skin with almost black eyes, and not to mention a charming smile—, but it didn't do anything for her. Anyone who wasn't Edward just didn't attract her anymore—oh sure, she could appreciate a gorgeous person, but they didn't…stir her desire at all.

"That's cool. So, uh…just wanted to say congratulations on mating with Cullen. I didn't get a chance to yesterday." Seeing her puzzled expression, he elaborated, "I'm Tyler. We met yesterday…?"

"Oh. Right." Her blush popped back up again, this time out of shame. _Stupid Bella,_ demon-Bella growled, _keep on your toes, girl! Edward doesn't want an airhead mate._

_He doesn't have a choice,_ another part of her whispered. With a twitch, Bella pushed that part of her to the side. "Thank you anyway," She told Tyler, "It's nice of you." There wasn't much left to say. Bella had never been very good with conversations. She'd moved about three times her whole life, and in the span of seventeen years that didn't leave a lot of room for making friends. Her mother was her best friend. Her mother was more reliable than any back-stabbing teenage girl or horny guy.

"S'no problem," He shrugged, "…Right, so I'm here for a reason. A bunch of us—you know, Angela, Mike, Jessica, Eric and the others—are going down to the Oka Beach this Saturday. It's going to be super sunny and it's the closest beach around, so we wanted to know if you'd come?"

Right as Bella was about to answer, someone placed both their hands on her hips and pulled her close. Bella would've stiffened and possibly attacked the person behind her for holding her so inappropriately if she hadn't felt the familiar aura of the person and heard their comforting thoughts. She smiled and leaned back into _him_.

"We'd love to," A velvet voice answered Tyler. The boy in front of her blanched, obviously having not seen Edward come up behind Bella.

"O-of course," He stuttered, "I didn't m-mean that y-you couldn't…I mean, we already expected you to…yeah, you're invited too." Bella blinked, but of course, she'd never seen other people interact around Edward. People avoided the Cullens—as well as Rosalie and Alice—like the plague, as if they were lepers. Why?

Bella couldn't see any reason why someone would _not_ want to be around them. They were the kindest people.

_Thank you, sweetheart,_ Edward's mind hummed, _that's sweet of you. But people like Tyler get nervous around Jasper, Emmett, and I. We don't exactly hang around them a lot, so we're considered pariah. Alice is…eccentric, so people automatically assume she's just psychologically messed up or something. And Rose…you didn't exactly get to see it, since she was nice to you, but Rose can be a huge bitch. She considers the others inferior. Especially that Mallory girl._

A burst of hatred for Tyler coursed through her veins. How could anyone consider the Cullens anything less than amazing? It was irrational and even cruel, but she felt the need to snub Tyler. To exile him from her life.

_What are you doing?,_ her mind whispered to Edward. He mentally chuckled.

_Oh, that's not me. If I wanted you to stop talking to Tyler I wouldn't make you mad at him. I'd do something like this…_

A jolt of lust rolled through her core and every single nerve buzzed with excitement. Instinctively, she wanted Tyler to just _poof_ and be gone so she could have some alone time with her mate. And with his hands already on her hips—_and mmm….now they were massaging gently_—, he wasn't making this any easier for her. She gritted her teeth, trying to push the sensations away from her, but they _wouldn't go away!_ A teensy whimper escaped her lips. Edward stiffened behind her.

"We'll be there on Saturday then," Edward said to Tyler politely, but his voice was tight, "Now, if you don't mind, I have to go talk to my mate in private." Not giving Tyler a chance to reply, Edward took Bella's hand tightly in his own and pulled her away, zigzagging around Tyler and other miscellaneous people. With the slow burning fire still lit in her belly, Bella kept pace with her mate, her head spinning.

Edward didn't stop until he'd dragged her down two flights of stairs, until they were in the basement right under the school. It was a spacious basement, with classes still this way and that, so they hurried down corridor after corridor, looking for a place. Bella could tell from Edward's thoughts that he had half a mind to just throw her over his shoulder and quicken his pace, which he did after he realized that she was having a hard time keeping up with his long strides.

"Oomph!" She gasped, her breath rushing out of her. _Hey,_ she thought in exclamation, _what was that for?_

_Sweetheart, you know I love you, but you're really slow,_ he thought, letting out a laugh aloud and giving her ass a lewd smack. Bella squeak and scowled, blowing his a raspberry out of spite. From her angle—she was staring right down at his ass actually—, Bella smirked and decided to return the favour. Her mate growled and quickened his pace.

Bella wasn't exactly sure where they were, but when Edward finally let her down, he immediately pushed her up against the wall, not allowing her time to check her surroundings. He kissed her neck a couple times sweetly, before a growl rumbled in his chest and he began kissing and nipping fiercely, kissing up and down her jawline, sucking at the skin behind her ear and making Bella go weak at her knees.

"Kiss me," Bella whimpered, trying to capture Edward's lips, though he kept evading her.

"I am…" He murmured, bringing his hands up to pull down the top of her shirt, kissing over her collarbone. His roaming hands ran up and down her sides, before resting just below her breasts.

"_No,_" She whined, raising her hands to grip Edward's face, holding still, "Your lips! I want to kiss you!" She lifted his head to stare into his darkening emerald eyes and brought her lips up to meet his, but Edward growled, moving his head back.

"No. Under _my_ terms," Her mate snarled, not aware of his voice somewhat echoing, "I won't be able to control myself if I kiss you now." His lips touched her ear as he murmured hotly, "Do you want your first time to be here? Right now? We won't even make it to class."

"Wha—" Bella squeaked, blood pooling in her cheeks. Edward chuckled, tracing a finger down her stomach, tracing little patterns over the area above her mound. His other hand moved up to rest just under her arm, pining her to the wall and getting as close as possible to her without squishing her.

"Someone could come looking for us anytime. They'll look around the corner and see our naked bodies—me holding you up against the wall, fucking you _so hard_…" Her blush deepened when she felt a rather hard part of Edward's lower anatomy pressing against her thigh. "I bet they'll stay around to watch too. I know I would. You'd look so fucking beautiful." Tingles ran through every sensory nerve in Bella, making her moan softly.

"Your kisses are mine," Edward continued, snarling as he pulled back to glare into her eyes, "Your sex is mine. Your love is mine. We'll kiss only tonight because I don't want to end up ripping off your clothes and taking you right here. I don't want fuckers like Tyler seeing your body. As much as I'd love to show everyone that you're mine, I don't want anyone else seeing what only I'm allowed to see."

The bell rang and Bella jolted, looking confusedly around. There was still no one anywhere near them—deep into the school as they were—, and that made Bella even more confused. Weren't there classes down here too?

_There are,_ Edward's mind said, _people will be here soon. We should get going if we ever want to get to class._ Bella nodded grudgingly, extracting herself from him, straightening out her clothes and running her hands through her hair. A tell-tale blush covered her cheeks, and Edward sniggered as he helped her out, making sure she looked normal. Well, as normal as multiple pink splotches around her neck and jaw and wild, frenzied eyes could look.

"You only need to go up those stairs," Edward informed his mate gently, pointing to a staircase through the door of the room they were in—Bella realized they were in a janitor's closet, which just made her giggle. Edward heard her thoughts and laughed softly too, planting a sweet kiss on her forehead before following her out the closet, splitting up.

The moment Edward was out of her sight, Bella felt cold. Colder than usual in fact. Her skin and cells and mind and heart and eyes all ached for him. They wanted to feel him, hear him, touch him, love him, feel him love her. The possibilities were endless and being away from Edward meant that they _did_ have to end. Bella was sure that she wouldn't survive without Edward.

…

Jessica hounded her with questions once she got to her French class. Where had she been? Why were there so many marks on her? Why hadn't she gone to Edward's house last night? Apparently, Eric had told everyone that Bella had been at her house without Edward the night before. Bella felt a shot of resentment for the acne-ridden boy, not understanding why anyone _cared_. Back before she'd moved, no one had cared about Bella's love life. For all they cared, she could've mated with her own cousin. That wouldn't have even stirred up a commotion. Simply, no one _gave a shit_.

"I was with Edward before," Bella mumbled, looking away and trying not to let the teacher hear her, "It's not a big deal."

"Not a big deal?" Jessica hissed back, repeating her words with a sneer, "Are you fucking stupid? I know you weren't here _before_ to see how things were, but you have seen how he looks right?" At Bella's nod, the scandalized girl continued, "He's a god. Not just any god, he's some kind of god of lust or some shit. And even though everyone wanted him, he _never_ wanted a single girl. That's just nuts. So it's fucking whack that he's finally so…wrapped up in a girl."

Ahh…now Bella got it. They still weren't interested in her. They only cared because it was _Edward Cullen_ and his love life. But Bella Swan didn't matter. It almost hurt, but not quite. Bella was used to this by now; feeling cast aside and unimportant. No one except her parents had ever cared about her before. Why would anyone start now? She didn't _expect_ anyone to. She didn't even expect Edward to, and he was her mate.

"Yeah, I get it," Bella said in a curt voice, then turned away from Jessica. The curly-haired brunette made a noise of outrage then sniffed, giving Bella the silent treatment. Bella didn't really give a shit though. She was shutting down. Shutting out everything.

_Bella, Bella,_ a voice in her mind called out in panic, _Bella, are you still there? Sweetheart?_

_It's Edward,_ demon-Bella whispered, shocked.

_Yeah, I'm still here,_ Bella thought back, _why?_ She was completely confused and not sure why Edward was suddenly so urgently trying to figure out what the fuck she was doing. His emotions suddenly became relieved, a calm spreading through her bones.

_Your thoughts,_ his mind whispered lowly, _they were gone for a moment. You were cut off from me. I didn't understand what was going on. I've never heard of that happening. Once mates connect their thoughts, it doesn't ever stop. There's no switch to flip it off._

Bella froze. She knew that. Even though she didn't always peer into Edward's mind—hear what he was thinking or see through his eyes—, there was always the figment of his presence around her; letting Bella know that her Edward was alive and well. It didn't shut off. She'd asked her mom last night during dinner. Even after all their years together, Charlie and Renée still heard each other's thoughts. Never once had it shut off. Never once had they felt cut off. Edward's thoughts continued to ring through her mind.

_Bella, for a moment, I thought you'd died._

…

A/N: I'm doing a lot of these Bella-death-cliff-hangers, aren't I? Well, it's true. In here, Bella's ability to block her thoughts is causing her connection with Edward's mind to waver. In **Change Of Heart**, Bella's just so susceptible to being killed. Two different things. In one, she _definitely_ would die. In here, Edward thought she was dead.

I hoped you all don't hate me for depriving you of a lemon *cringes*. I just want to rush into these things yet. I felt kind of stupid for writing a lemon so early on in the story, so I'm spacing it for a bit more. Maybe next chapter? I can't guarantee anything. At least I gave you a little tease here!

-Breathless Tomb-


	7. Author's Note

The first and only author's note outside of a chapter that I will ever do:

Kay, it's official. I'm gone for good on this account. I'm older now (sixteen), and I've outgrown Twilight. It's been a nice run, for sure, but I'm totally done with it now. I won't say my stories are up for adoption—um...because they're not—, but I won't be completing them anytime soon. You were all amazing fans/reviewers and I treasure each of you, but I've moved on to different fandoms. I started a new account, though I won't mention it.

Some of you may be disappointed, others not, but this is for the best, you see. I have NO passion for Twilight left, I've actually come to dislike it quite some bit, for various reasons. My stories would completely and utterly suck if I kept trying to write. Fanfictions need passion and love for the fandom if they are ever to be completed and done well at that. I no longer have those two things.

I started this account when I was fourteen. It's been about two years since then, and I think this site has helped me grow so very much as a writer. I don't regret writing these stories. I probably never will, as much as they sometimes embarrass me.

Thank you again! I hope you have an amazing summer and…an amazing life? Since I'll probably never see you again?

Peace.

-Lia


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